The present invention is related to a gate seal, and more particularly to a lightweight, removable sealing means operable to provide a fluid-tight seal between a gate and the wall of a reactor well or storage pool.
In certain designs of nuclear-reactor generating plants, for example, there are large reactor well and storage pool structures wherein nuclear fuels are either stored or arranged in a reactor apparatus. These pools or wells are typically filled with a fluid, such as water, to isolate the fuels from the surrounding environment and serve as a protective outer structure for the nuclear fuel material. In order to provide access to the interior of a single well or pool or to provide connecting passageways between the various structures, the liners and walls of the structures are provided with openings including heavy, thick-walled gates to close off the openings. It is, of course, necessary that the gates be in a fluid-tight relation with the pool liner to insure the leakproof integrity of the pool structure when the gate is closed. Due to the critical nature of the desired sealing relation, it is essential that the sealing means be highly reliable and effective in providing the leak-tight seal and at the same time be easily accessible and removable for routine repair, maintenance and eventual replacement. An initial problem encountered in providing a sealing means with the above-described features is the size of the storage pool and reactor well structures.
These structures are typically very large and are housed within a single building. The gates and sealing means are also of rather heavy construction and of large dimensions. To afford economical construction of the nuclear power plant, and to comply with applicable safety regulations, the outer building is designed to offer sufficient protection for the various apparatuses of the plant, but does not possess the structural strength or space required to support heavy duty hoisting and hauling machinery. Thus, it is not feasible to provide equipment capable of bodily removing an entire gate structure, in order to secure or replace the seals.
It is accordingly one of the primary objectives of the present invention to provide a new form of gate sealing means which is ideally suitable for use in connection with access gates for reactor wells and fuel storage pools of a nuclear reactor power plant, for example. In accordance with the broadest aspects of the invention, there is provided a sealing means comprising a lightweight, frame structure removably mounted between the gate and portions of the pool wall when the gate is in a closed position. The frame structure is arranged to support continuous yieldable, expansible sealing members which are connectable to a source of fluid under pressure. After the gate has been closed and locked, the pressure fluid is admitted to inflate the sealing members and expand them in a manner to form a fluid-tight seal between the inner surface of the gate and the wall of the pool or well.
In one advantageous form of the invention, the beam structure comprises a generally U-shaped, I-beam with transverse members extending between the spaced vertically disposed leg portions. The gate is provided with support elements engageable with the transverse members of the beam structure to support the beam on the gate. A plurality of inflatable sealing elements are arranged along the entire length of the U-shaped I-beam and are inflated after the gate is closed to form the desired leak-tight seal. The beam structure and inflatable seals provide a lightweight, easily removable sealing means to facilitate maintenance, repair and/or replacement of the inflatable sealing members. At the same time, the pneumatic sealing means is highly effective in providing a reliable leak-tight seal between the gate and the pool wall.
For a better understanding of the above and other features and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention and to the accompanying drawings.